Packing material for fruits



Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

PACKING MATERIAL FOR FRUITS.

No Drawing. Application filed February 14, 1927, Serial No. 158,237.Renewed Beccmher 22, 1928.

My invention relates to a packing material for fruits.

lt is an object of this invention to provide an ellicient, inexpensive,antiseptic, germicidal packing material "for fruits and the like.

I have discovered that if cellular material such as sawdust,liicselguhr, finely ground asbestos, rice hulls, powdered pumice stoneor granular carbon are intimately associated with an active fluorinecompound it serves as an excellent packing material for pre" servingfruit and the like for a long time by preventing the formation ofbacterial attack or the growth of fungi.

My invention consists in the composition of matter hereinafter describedand claimed.

talre any one ot' the cellular materials mentioned above, either aloneor in comhination with one or more of the others, and im preguate thesame with an aqueous solution of ammonium sulphate. I then add withthecellular material, which is in a condition of partial dryness, finelyground calcium fluoride, preferably of 300 mesh or finer, and mix thesame intimately with the cellular material. There is a slow chemicalreaction, .lorming ammonium fluoride and calcium sulihate in accordancewith. the followint" equation (NIL) 80,, CaF CaSO, QNILF The respectiveamounts of ammonium sulphate and calcium fluoride are taken inaccordance with the chemical equation, but no harm is done it' there isan excess of one or the other, I prefer to take a slightly greateramount 01": the calcium fluoride than required by the equation,especially in view of the fact that calcium fluoride usually containssilica up to 10 per cent. The hydrofluoric acid formed will react on thesilica forming a siliceous gel which appears to be useful in retardingthe escape of the hydrofluoric acid.

The amount of ammonium sulphate and calcium, fluoride to be mixed withthe cellular material may vary within wide limits, but ordinarily fromE2 to 10 per cent by weight of the combined reagents suthcient.

l. place of ammonium sulphate ammonium chloride may he used, in whichcase calcium chloride in place of calcium sulphate will he formed,which, because of its hygroscopic properties, may he in some instancespretcrahle for the reason that it will assure a sutlicient quantity ofmoisture to be present which is necessary for the reaction.

lit a more active germicidal and antiseptic agent is required thecalcium fluoride may be replaced by the more empensive sodium fluoride.

In place of the reagent above described any other soluble fluorinecompound may be substitute l as a germicidal and antiseptic agent,including boro tluorides and silico fluorides, the latter of which aresubstantially nonpoisonous.

Various changes may he made in the steps of the process by those skilledin the art without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

1 claim:

1. [in antiseptic packing coi'nposition containinp; cellular n'ia'terialassociated with cal- V lOl'lClO and an ammonium salt capable o i re w ththe calcium fluoride to term amn'iomuin fluo 2. An antiseptic 7 achingcomposition containing cellular material associated with ammoniumsulphate and calcium fluoride.

3. An antiseptic packing composition containing a cellular materialimpregnated with an aqueous solution of ammomum sulphate and mixed withpowered calcium fluoride.

4. An antiseptic packing composition containing sawdust impregnated withan aqueous solution of ammonium sulphate and powdered calcium fluoride.

In testimony whereof I have signed in name to this specification.

I HENRY BLUMENBERG, JR.

